FEDERATION COMMISSION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4294, 1 March 1901, Page 3

FEDERATION COMMISSION.

f nXI) OF AVELMNOTOX SITTIXE. ; Tin': I'VjrJor.'if ;<.n E'oMimi: ion rooiTO'l ‘is sittin.'S n ! : l!io % !j;o;d----iuc/.s .-il iu \(‘,t I Mc.'-I', E. Hull null, boot, liitlioi'.ir' of, inn; W. EoiA.ni.-on. sn. i'turv to the Hr.rl.our Eonr-i, Wvc.rro (-.nir.l I'isnn :it- . ((on!.“ iioo. LKTTI'.it FIIO.M -MU !>!! A R.V/AS. | Mr C. Ibiiir.i'/.yn his vi. ,v-i i i '’.‘.lollllo. J|f> siJinr.’.oh up ills coin 'in-ion in on;' r-o’M. ” Wnil.” i!o '.vus ■tn n ; Jidvo.: tlo of tin- principle of federal ion, ‘but lie Uioin/.ht il was very much I the oiic-tion of matrimony -marioaon 1 was desirable in is.-elf, but any prod ■•■>l Ain.li ait-n’ied yie-t im;)ort n t:ce ho Ibo ) I'n -tci! as to I'/lnm -I would bo r. : ’lor ban to choo-c a wife, Tiicrc was

one important difrccpoe bcfv.efm n;;i ! :- 1 inony and tcdcration— ~that in Mu; f.-v. 1 irn-r -’ a ! c tic' bond would c u'tairdy lie 1 Inokcn b,. dyal.b, and po-sibly by divorce, !,iit wit h rc/iird lo t'ue lat'er I 100 slop, once ialicu, was ii rovociibb-. lie tbr.nnjbt Hie SEar-'.s wotib! co-pcriciioo ;rrea(, diiiicidly Ijc'oro (bey u.)| cvetyItiinu to wotk smoothly, an 1 that tlie-.e difiiciißics woidd be mmdi ir.crenscd if the peeio'iur conditions of Xew'Eea land were nil owed to com pi ic.ite the i roblcni. 'lhc wise coinve for >,"’v /•■aland to fidopt was to v.oi.t events In (.In- most fricin’ly rA’int, midriny i‘ <iitif•: clear that, no bad every v.i ;U lo Jo 1 11 when il bacaon- dc-sra'-le lor all (■o|i(;c/ii(’(l io do e. Ip the in on tiii e. there were a limnb'T of <|u;:s : dole; or, v idela eommou action wit; 1 . t!:o C'oni-

mono ei;11!i cculc. b.- crily nrrmirri’d, ■ H'di as de;et : par-! ■; 'iiul lldeirrapns, and imssibly rm-'incc. ft Unit could be done in n friendly spirit, we mie.it praduiilly yrow toecUier. isUUDEXT TO WAIT. Air John Duncan (f.evin and Co.) was aUo csou.-icd from nltondiii'y. lie also e.ave ills views on the question in wi i. t'ino. ile .said lie had not devoted much attention to the question of fcdci ration, lint be tbouebt it would be j prudent to wail until such time as the 1 resrulations of the Commonwealth bad. I been drafted, so that it might- be seen ' ebari.v to what we were committing oili‘■ elves. But if Hit; figures given to ; t lie Commission by Air -Nicholas Ileal Jv.erc correct, then it was difficult for us to .sea bow we could avoid pledging I the country to federation lit as short Hi date as possible., if the object of their A msiderat ions was to advance the, inI terests of the greater again at the les-m----number. -Mr ileid indicated that under federation there, would be a -reduction of duty on sugar, i-ait, tobacco, boot-, etc., to the amount ot about V. -ii'.'lOd. In other words, a reduction of the duties on the of life to the. extent named. Now, this boon would he reaped almost- entirely by the sinail fanners, the artisans and labouring classes, and would represent a. very 1 ar«o saving in the cost ol their Jiving. For some years past it had been given as a. reason why wages should be higher in New Zealand than in Australia ' that the cost of living hero was considerable more than in the other oolony, 'and, admitting that to bo correct, they -,veil’d see that if such a reduction the cost of living was made as was indicated by AJr Kohl, the argument above quoted would cea. -e lo 'have, effect, and whether t here was a. lovelliug-iif> of the Australian rates of pay or a. slight levellingdown in the case of New Zealand, they might hope to secure an equal wage in the entire federation. That would do away with all the difficulties which they had' bad in securing an outside market for the labours of their artisans, and give equality of wage and equality in cost of living. He saw no reason why New Zealand should have anything to dread in- Joining tbo federation. Jn point of fact, with, its belter climate, its more productive, soil, and better type of *ett!er. bo should think it wouUl be a mere, question of time when it would be able to take a loading position in the federation.

A POSTAL.VIEW. Mr M r . Gray, Secretary to the Postal Department, thought that T he postal and telegraph seiwicos of this colony could not bo so ocouoniio'illr administered under federation. Thedc sm vices wero relatively managed on a cheaper basis boro than they wore in Australia, The head office would bo 12!/) miles away. That covered the generah ground of objection to federation. It was also probable that our revenue would sutler. As to penny postage, be thought that would be adopted in Australia shortly. Ho saw no advantage in federation, except in uniformity of administration. The classifiction of the service would have to be reviewed. Ho did not think there would bo any saving in the oust of oversea mails.' There was a. difference in llm rate of salaries in New Zealand and Australia. Except ;n the higher grades, the rank and file of the officers were lower-paid in Australia than they word in Now Zealand.

By Mr Beauchamp: The net value of the profit made last year in the Post and Telegraph Department was £O-1,000. and if lie toon into consideration the work done for the Government, it would amount to over £201),000. The Post and Telegraph Departments would be taken over by the Federal Government. Ho read a comparative .statement of the receipts and expenditure of tho various States on these servicer, showing that the revenue in New Zealand from those sources was relative.,'.' creator. The telegraph service in New Zealand was cheaper than in tho Australian colonies.

ONE OF THE NATIVE-BORN. Pierce C. Freeth, journalist, said ho had studied the question of federation from the point of view of one of the native-born. Shortly, he was in favour of a Commonwealth of our own. He maintained that this colony could provide all the'necessaries,of life, and that its people were peculiarly adapted to nation-making. His observations in the Australian colonics led him to believe that the Australians differed l from us in character, disposition and sympathies, and that the probamo tendency would be to widen the gap in that respect. Tho Australian was not of the same robust, moral, vigorous type a;, tho New Zealander. His reason for saying so was that the Australian tendency was to crowd into the cities. On the other hand, tho tendency of New Zealanders was to spread out and take a strong hold upon the soil. The climatic influences and natural conditions of this colony tended to. foster industry, shrewdness, thrift and the spirit of self-help. Australia, was not necessa.iv to New Zealand, but frequently New Zealand was necessary to Australia, For tho 'sacrifice of national • liberty, we would got Australian trade, winch wc could afford to dispense with if its price was the loss of our autonomy. As for defence, Australia, would not help us vel 'v much in that. He was satisfied that if tho workers permitted the sacrifice ci the colony’s autonomy, they would never cease to regret it. In his opinion tho trend "of future action shou d j bn in order to strengthen our ; position, to encourage _ State control of all essential public serv.ces; _ to | emmierect all attempts at the forming j of trusts and combines; to | odical conferences (in camera) of the' i beads of Government and a given nuin--1 her of leading business men. as to thn (best method of exploiting foreign mnrI kets ; to increase the facilities for settling the sons of colonists upon the land ;

i to cement the Imperial connection ; to | recognise volunteering as a disciplmaiy : measure from the schools upward-; to ' encourage horsemanship and rme-sboot- ! in>j. but discourage militarism and wasteful explllldlt ore Oil OltiiO'ioX lillil'-.lly train big, permanent force-, and cca-td defences; and to administer cm- oedenc-m. and public .services with sympatiu , J'JC.gmont and oflick-ncy. . . . }Jv Air Levs; I'tom n- e-perie..-.. c. .Vie I; aim, he belies ed tns lieu of the people in New Zealand % "<y i r than that ot i.mi peoy.c u. ■'■■■ trail,i, T 1 io tendency ot inc con;";;-.o of people in the large ca ie- in -VUStI a- , ij. L v.-as to deteriorate cnaracier. i | l»v \lr licauchamp: He tnougnt coo | tropical region of Australia was no P am;; for a wliito . man to do man .ml , indupondont. of Australia. evidence OF ADKAEEEt lAIPOLITi-.11.

Albert Arthur Corrigan, manage! -q the D.1.C., said he had .not oousidmcd the question of federation. .Anjtbu that would upset the mdu.-. i ie- k - - colony would be objecttonaoE. HTo -od that federation would tend to mwor the statue of the people ot New Zealand, ami he did not think the m. ■ utactures of New Zealand omd com pole with those of ixiis-ralia. itthought it would be iuadvisab o to ftu urate, because wo _woi;ld sin.pl> bo sorbed by Australia. By Air Beauchamp : Ha bohtpxd .nat in the event of a iimiucml crisis. Non Zealand would be nitu.e simp-> ■<- dump iug ground tor Australian goods. °A POLiTTCO-LEGAL OPINION.

Thomas WilUum tßslop, iiarm-c.. said ho had been a member or luo hituro ami a Cabinet .auiister. gave the subject of federation sonic attention some years ago, ana. he cue,, funned Hie idea that federation woum solve* problems that could not be aeau with under our present system ot government. Certain questions could tm better dealt with by a confederation than by individual Slates. NVitli ic-; siicct to the Industrial Conciliation, anc Arbitration Act, and of heir labour - iu force in New- Zealand, the Fcdei... Parliament would deal with such matters, bub ho thought the New Zcaiaim statutes dealing with such matters would bo adopted. He did not think that shorter hours and high wages meant less, production; nor did he think that un cost to tho colony ot government under tlia federation would bo so grcao a; had been elated. As to the question of railways, live was provision for charging to ti.o State benefited tire interest on the cost of such railways. Ato the federal tariff, jl it proved the mean between that in t ictona and N6W South Wales, it would ho about he same as that prevailing m Now Zea By the Chairman : He would not look upon it a-s a calamity' that the legislation of this colony' would bo restricted under the Commonwealth, as wo w-onld have a voice in the settlement of iMgoi questions. He did not think tho Federal Parliament would abrogate our Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act without putting something equa; to it in its place. He did not- approve of disqualifying Alaori voters, its to tne matter .of distance, it would ho a Jisacivantage in some respects and an advantage in others. was also an insular community, and refused to join the Canadian Confederacy, but its progress had been very slow, and capital did not flew in towards its development. Ho did not think that the centralisation of power in ’the Federal Government would bo to the disadvantage of the .States.

By Captain HusrcT: A difficulty might arise in the future with regard to the occupation of Northern Australia- by a coloured people, but the difficulty could not arise in a year, and when ii did arise ho thought the federation could meet it. Assuming that millions of Asiatics occupied tho territory, he did-not think that it would alter the characteristics of our race. By Mr Millar; Ho did not see how the labour of this colony would be injured by federation. He thought wo should look at tho question from ;inational point of view. He did not. think that federation would retard the development of this colony, or that it would reduce the colony to practically tho level of a road board.

By Mr Beauchamp: Tho Commonwealth Bill, ho thought, required amending in some respects, to suit Now Zealand, and if it were not so amended, lie tliought .it would be better to wait. He did not admit that federation would be detrimental to tho character of our. population. For the next mty or hundred years New Zealand would not, in his opinion, be able to pay off any of its debt.

By Mr Luke: He did not think the colony would sacrifice its independence by entering the Commonwealth. "By Mr neid : lie saw no objection to tho constitution of the Federal judiciary. By Mr Levs: Ho thought the risk of the Federal Parlisffneut passing legislation antagonistic to New Zealand was very small. ' By Major Steward : If New Zealand joined the federation it should' bo on the basis of an original State. EFFECT UPON THE WOOLLEN INDUSTRY. M. O. Hcclcn, manager of the Wellington M r oollen Company, said he entirely endorsed the views given by Mr John Ilcss, as published in the 'v>cw Zealand Times.” 1 , By tho Chairman: He did not think that wo could compete with the lowpaid labour of Australia. His and ojher companies had tried the Australian market, and had failed to make it pay. THE JAM IND U STRY. Simon Kirkpatrick, jam, coffee and spice manufacturer, Nelson, said that federation would very seriously affect thbse industries. Freights to Sydney were much lower than to New Zealand, and labour was not so highly paid. Then there were different factory laws in. New Zealand, which rendered competition against Australia difficult. For the same reason, he believed that all other industries would suffer. By the Chairman ; Ho saw no advantage to this colony from federating, and thought the legislation of tho Federal Parliament would not be suitable to New Zealand. In case of war, he did not. think’ that Australia would be able, to assist/New Zealand. By Mr Leys: The fruit-preserving industry in the colony was a progressive one. . By Mr Beauchamp : New Zealand was a good fruit-growing country, if the industry was properly carried on; and the industry was on the increase. He had tested ‘the London market, and found that it did not pay to export pulp. ANOTHER LABOUR VIEW. A. H. Cooper, bootmaker, Wellington, president of the Trades and Labour Council, said the Council had considered tho question of federation, and had practically unanimously decided against it. He considered that if the barriers of protection were thrown down, it would result detrimentally to the labour of this colony. A FARMER’S VIEWS.

J. S. Dalrymple, farmer, Rangitikci, said ho had considered t ho question of federation, and thought it would be to the advantage of the producers of the colony to take a step towards freetrade.

Au-iralia might be a comootitor for the supplv of wheat to the northern portion of this colony, but that was only cue item. i-.v Air I.cys : lie would be quite P re : faired to psv i.lono'e tbo amount or land lux if ireccradu pi availed.

i THE FEKNI: L EE MKADE. ■ i Henry Fielder. Pat-nilure t.iamuac-

turer, said he Ud toiwi lo the conc'usion that if we leueiuitii wiln Ausiraha v.’o would be yy our oirki.riciiit. t-f,, thoiiebt till-- .-.0'.,' Zealand iiialiu-

I I icturers ceil'd hold their witii fair , iiou.scs in Svdncv, hut not with Chinese and sweatcis. '!’!;• wore upwards oi I 1700 Chinamen in various departments ! of furiiicui o tiiaiiulac'i urc in Sydneyilt would never do for free trade to prevail in New Zealand. Tho manufacturers in Svdncv imptn-ted raw material cheaper aiul'tlu* cost- of labour was much lower there,. Ho believed Dial the engineering, furniture, bootmakiug and clo.thing factories in this colony would be injured il wo federated. New Zealand labour laws bumpered very much the industries of tho colony. Vv'c wen; only ailowed one hov to live men. What was to be done v.i'h the other twenty per rent? Federation, he also thought, would to attract a very undesirable class to Now Zealand. New Zealand mechanics were looked une.n as better than those in Australia. In the higher class of goods our workmen could excel the Australian manufacturers. Bv Air Beauchamp: Our furniture trade was protected Lo _ the extent of twenty-five per cent. First-class workmen in -Australia could earn as much as they could in New Zealand, hutjn general ' tho wages were lower in Australia *han in New Zealand. By Air Leys; The labour laws were restrictive to his trade. If he chese. he could, under the regulations, employ mere boys, but lie could not get ,nc right °l!v Alajor Steward; Th quantity of furniture imported into New Zealand’ was small, and generally of an inferior At 3.30 p.m. the Commission adjourned till io a.m. on Alomla-y next, at Auckland.